Andromeda: Foreknowledge
by DeusExfreak
Summary: A prequel to "Andromeda: Alternate Beginning" based on minor changes made to the plot following reviews, a re-imagining of the Andromeda Initiative as I had originally pictured it: a desperate, daring, last ditch effort to save civilization in the face of the Reaper harvest. Constructive criticism welcome.
1. Chapter 1

"I just wanted to tell you the Comm Buoy has been replaced, sir," Private Burbage said from the other side of Colonel Ryder's office door. "You should have access to the extranet again."

"Thank you," the N7 Colonel said. It was not the first time they had lost extranet access, but it felt good to be back in contact with the outside world, a little to brighten his day after fighting and death.

He wrapped up his report on his latest operation, scanning for typos. Of the forty-eight sent, five had died in the fighting (three N1s and two N2s). That was a relatively merciful sum for dealing with Reaper forces, although death was death. Another few names to be passed into the Alliance databases, a few more mothers mourning in a sea of millions.

Ryder commanded the planet's regiment of special forces, N1 - N7, just under a thousand soldiers. General Hemlock, the man in charge of protecting human interests on the planet, presided over far, far more.

Tyr was cold place to be stationed, both literally and figuratively. The barren planet's brown surface was -70 degrees Celsius. Tens of thousands of human soldiers were stationed on it, but they were dying defending tele-operated machines, robots, and corporate industrial buildings. They were crucial war assets, but it was not like defending the scared and huddled masses of Earth or its colonies.

His son and daughter had been given very different assignments: Warmer assignments, again literally and figuratively, but he had been unable to check for an update for the past three days with their only link to the extranet destroyed. Last he had heard from them, his son was stationed at an outpost in Africa, after a retreat from Luna, and Sara was leading a squad in New Houston, Eden Prime. The last couple of weeks had been trying for Scott. Sara had been much more fortunate.

Few civilians had ever been on Tyr's surface. Most of those who had had been evacuated or killed by the Reapers since the war broke out. He sat in the office of one of those casualties, in an underground bunker connected to a mine owned by Ashland-Eldfell Energy. Alec had seen the man's name on the wall once, in fancy cursive on a diploma they had since taken down and shipped it to his next of kin. Now he did not even remember it. Nikolai something-or-other, Bachelor's of Science in Hydrogen Fuel Engineering from a presumably prestigious university.

Fixing his last error, Alec sent to report on the local network.

Now it was time to check on his kids, thousands of light-years across the galaxy.

Alec opened his browser. He skimmed the headlines first.

**Bogota, Tomsk, and Nanjing Become Latest Earth Cities to Face Reaper Attack**

**Historic Mosque Destroyed on Bekenstien  
**

**Illium's Richest Asari Donates Half of Wealth to War Effort****  
**

Then he went for his e-mail.

He was elated to see messages from both his children. He was about to click **Re: Checking up** when a voice came over his office intercom.

It was Hemlock. "Mr. Ryder, someone important is here to speak with you."


	2. Chapter 2

When Alec arrived at the entrance lobby, the homey corporate entrance to joyless, industrial mines, he halted in shock. A face he had seen so many times on television was in the flesh.

"The man himself, splendid," Councilor Udina said. Just like on TV, he betrayed little emotion, to a point where he could have been sarcastic for all Ryder knew. "You're a...very lucky man, Colonel Ryder. Only a hand full of people in our galaxy know the secrets you're about to be let in on."

Two heavily armored guards flanked the Councilor, faces hidden behind tactical masks.

General Hemlock spoke. "I lament the fact Udina is going to take you off my hands. You've been a great asset here on Tyr, but apparently the Council has grander plans for you. Voutsis will be taking over your post."

Alec was baffled by all this.

"How long am I going to be absent, sir?"

"Udina here says indefinitely. But they didn't tell me anything else. The details of the operation are highly classified, even beyond my reach."

Yet a Colonel like himself was privy.

The Councilor spoke again. "We're not going to talk about it here, Ryder. Let's just say: pack your bags, say your goodbyes. Our shuttle departs in two hours."

Alec was at a loss for words.

"I know it's a lot to take in, Mr Ryder," the General said. "But honestly, I envy, you this must be something important."

"You'll...explain on the way?"

"Honestly, Colonel, the secrets you are about to hear are so closely guarded, I can't even speak of them among my personal guard. But when we get to our destination, then you'll understand."

Again, Alec was at a loss for words. He had been on classified assignments before, but never at direct orders from a politician, never something so secret it had to be hidden from his superiors. Had he really performed that well on his previous escapades? As far as N7s went, Alec had always thought himself an average officer.


	3. Chapter 3

"We're close to landing: ETA, 2 minutes," the pilot said.

It had been a journey of about twelve hours. Alec had slept, the others had not, no doubt on a different schedule. He would have to adjust his sleep cycle again, not uncommon for an N7.

From what Udina had told him, they were about to land on Illium.

Being able to talk to a Citadel Councilor should have been a novelty, but Udina proved reserved and aloof. He seemed to be much more interested in his own thoughts. Rahat and Megan, his guards, proved far more interesting subjects for conversation. They were both grizzled, Earth-born Alliance veterans, not unlike Alec himself. But they had seen little of the Reaper War, being stationed by Udina's side.

From the sounds of it they were beginning to touch down.

Ryder was about to see his next home; The story of his life since he had first left the Sol system.

The doors opened with a blast of warm air and bright sunlight. Illium was not like Tyr. They filed out.

Above were clear, blue skies. Surrounding them were barren, rocky mountains. Below them were oceans of fog, concealing the lower ground.

Alec knew to be this warm at high altitude, they had to be somewhere near Illium's equator, away from its dazzling cities. This was an excellent place for secret operations.

Donnell Udina approached the front door of the facility and entered a code in the keypad. They all entered the air-conditioned halls.

The halls were clean, but it was not homey. It was not as dreary as the mines, but it did not feel corporate either.

"Mr. Ryder, I think it's time to meet Jien Garson, the woman behind this project. At least...the one who set the spark for the fire."

That name sounded familiar. Where had he heard it before? And what in the galaxy was this 'project'?

Udina continued power-walking through the halls. "A couple of years ago, she was the laughing stock of late night talk shows. Now she may well save the human race. And a few other species."

They made their way out of the halls into a large room full of machinery. A tan skinned woman with short, black hair, dressed in blue and grey, was standing in wait before them.

"Alec Ryder, Jien Garson. Jien Garson, Alec Ryder. I think you can take it from here, Ms. Garson."

The Councilor and his guards parted, leaving the two humans among a noisy assembly line.

"Mr. Ryder, a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she said. She shook vigorously, but her demeanor could be described as luke warm. There was something strangely distant about her.

"Right...Jien Garson, I...Councilor Udina didn't tell me much."

"With good reason. Our work here must be kept secret. This project may be more crucial than The Crucible, but we cannot divert a fleet to protect it."

More important than the Crucible? He was incredulous.

"Follow me," she said with a beckoning gesture.

As they walked, he tried to get some answers amidst the gaping void of information he had been thrown into:

"So who are, you exactly? I feel like I've heard your name before."

"Jien Garson. CEO of Garson Dynamics."

Garson Dynamics...He remembered their logo on the shuttle during the Grissom Expedition. The CEO looked surprisingly young, considering. Of course, with her wealth, that could have been partially thanks to genetic upgrades and cosmetic surgeries.

"So why was I brought here?"

"You were brought here because you have experience exploring the unknown, leading, and dealing with the harsh and desperate circumstances."

What was he about to do? A treasure hunt for another Prothean super-weapon? It seemed far-fetched anything could compare to the Crucible.

"There are others like you who have been summoned. You were the last of the three to arrive. We're here to educate you."

They made their way back into a tight hallway, this one somehow warmer looking.

"Educate me? Why are you being so cryptic?"

After half a day he expected some answers.

"It's best you learn everything at once."

"And when will that happen?"

"We have a lecture scheduled in eight hours."

"A lecture?"

They turned a corner, presenting two rows of polished, sliding, mostly wooden doors, with peep holes and radio receivers for each, numbers above them.

She stopped at one.

"Here are you quarters, Colonel Ryder. You'll understand everything soon enough."

She continued, walking off without another word. Alec was going to speak up, but could not find the words as her blue and gray rump swayed off into the distance. He stood for a few seconds. He was frustrated being tugged around without explanation. But seeing no better alternative than submission, opened the door.

Considering the state of the galaxy, things could have been much worse.

The room was much nicer than what he had been forced to make do with on Tyr: clean, sleek, with a nightstand, dresser, leather chair, flower pot, and a desk with a computer.

He put down his duffel bag and collapsed onto the bed, looking at the ceiling, baffled by all that was going on.

More important than the Crucible? It sounded like madness. Had the most important human in the galaxy gone mad?


	4. Chapter 4

Alec looked back at the clock. It had been half an hour. He rose, knowing lying in reflection was going to get him nothing.

He swiveled his feet onto the floor, stood, and stepped over his crumpled pile of armor. He decided to give the computer he had been provided a look.

Sitting upon the swivel chair, he shook the mouse.

Garson Dynamics logo was on the wallpaper, it brought back strong memories.

There were only a handful of icons on the desktop. A few had the prefix "AI" on them. Was this some kind of Artificial Intelligence research? That would be a strange thing to bring him a long for.

He clicked "AI_Roster".

There was spreadsheet, a list of people, with their name, species, sex, age, and talents. They were alphabetized by surname, and there seemed to be an inordinate amount of farmers. Hovering over each "talent" provided a tool-tip with more details, but instead of reading those he scrolled down the list of diverse names.

**Grout, Philip**

Talents were "land vehicle repair" and "hunting." 43 years old.

**Jalid, Dav**

Turian. Talents were "construction" and "policing." 26 years old.

**Leztok, Weetum**

Salarian. Talent was "medicine." 24 years old.

Was _he, _Alec Ryder, on the list? He scrolled down.

**Rillius, Savia  
**

**Rissanna, Pye**

**Robeson, Harold**

**Robeson, Alexandra**

**Rodriguez, Benito**

**Rubin, Muzhen**

**Russ, Illosis**

**Ryder, Alec**

Yes, but just below that -

**Ryder, Sara**

****Ryder, Scott****

His heart stopped.

He was going to have a lot of questions for tonight's lecture.


	5. Chapter 5

It was a small room with a screen at its front. There were three chairs, two already occupied by humans: the middle one was empty. On the left chair was a gray-haired woman, on the right, a man with a buzz-cut.

Ryder made his way infront of them and made his requisite u-turn. He saw their faces: the woman's face lit up.

"Hiii!" she said. "And who might you be, darling?"

Alec extended his hand. "Alec Ryder. N7."

"Well my name's Stephanie," the old lady said with a hearty shake. "Stephanie Stringberg."

Alec turned to the other person. His face seemed stoic, if not sour. "And you, sir?"

"Mergim Kodheli," he said simply. He shook, but did not smile.

"Well have a seat, Mr. Ryder!" Stephanie said. "Someone told me you were part of the Grissom Expedition!"

Alec sat.

"Yes."

"Well, it looks like we're all high profile people here! Mr. Mergim over there, he was a pioneer! One of the first men on Elysium!"

"And you?"

"Me? Second Mayor of Constant!"

The Capital of Eden Prime. She was surprisingly humble not to mention that from the start.

"It's an honor to meet you. My daughter is serving on Eden Prime right now."

"In Constant?"

"New Houston."

Alec knew that made him fortunate. New Houston, one of Eden Prime's four major cities, was the only one the Reapers had barely touched. Alec could not imagine how heartbreaking it must have been for this old woman to see Constant in the state it was in.

They heard the door behind them open, and two sets of feet entered. They revealed themselves to be Councilor Udina and Jien Garson.

"Ryder, Stringberg, Kodheli, thank you for your punctual arrivals," Udina said. "Ms. Garson, I, and the Citadel Council have worked tirelessly to bring us to this point away from the leering eyes of the public. Ms. Garson, I think you should take it from here."

He gestured to her, and she turned on the screen with her omnitool.

A picture showed up, one of a galaxy. The Milky Way? It looked funny. Could it be another? Why would-

"You all are among the luckiest in the galaxy," she said. But her tone was not happy, not enthusiastic, it was unsettlingly distant. "You have been selected for the Andromeda Initiative."

Shocked looks were exchanged between the three guests.

"Yes. A journey to our neighboring galaxy. You are all candidates as the Andromeda Initiative's leader. Over the next two weeks, your performances will be observed, and you will be ranked accordingly."

_AI._ That is what those letters represented, this madness.

Udina spoke, "That means you will either become the leader of humanity's most daring expedition in all of history, or our second or third in line."

"Not just humanity," Jien corrected flatly. "Salarians, asari, and turians will be equally represented upon the Hyperion. The vehicle of the Andromeda Initiative."

The next slide showed the most bizarre ship Alec, or surely anyone in the room, had even seen. It could described as an augmented soda can, because the overwhelming majority of the vehicle was devoted to fuel storage and static discharge collection foam.

"This is the Hyperion. A vehicle designed for a six century journey across dark space. The Hyperion is composed of three interlocking but detachable segments..."


	6. Chapter 6

"It still seems cowardly," Alec said. "What you're talking about is a retreat." He felt like a frustrated child, incapable to give proper voice to his objection.

Jien spoke. "The Protheans were not the first to fall to the Reapers: Etamis, Bothros, Joab, Helyme, all are grave-sites of civilizations destroyed by the Reapers. Tens of thousands of civilizations have fallen to them, stretching back billions of years. We cannot expect to survive."

That was pretty big claim. Alec looked up to speak but Udina spoke first:

"It's controversial theory, Mr. Ryder, but one that's not without merit. For centuries humans puzzled over Fermi's Paradox. The Reapers may have provided us with an answer."

Ryder was silent. He was angry inside, but he could not find the words. He knew well of Fermi's Paradox. He knew about the theories Protheans were not the first, but-

"We spent billions of credits on each you, Colonel Ryder. You can only do so much staying and fighting. But if Garson's vision succeeds, you restart civilization."

That seemed like sound logic. Is this simply how it felt to be wrong and outwitted? Or was there some hidden flaw in their reasoning that had not yet crystallized in his conscious mind?

It was the old woman who spoke next. "What about gene diversity? You said there will be only one-hundred twenty-four humans coming to the new galaxy."

"This project has already cost the Council more than two and a half trillion credits, Ms. Stringberg, in a time where we need more than ever to conserve resources. To export a population the size of a town would cost us more than all the galaxy's militaries combined. Not to mention maintaining secrecy would become equally more difficult."

Alec could not argue with that. But the thought of being alone in a new galaxy with four-hundred ninety-six people? Just over one-hundred of his own kind? Gene diversity was the least of his worries, it was economics that set off the biggest alarm. It took the collective expertise of thousands to maintain a twenty-second century civilization.

"What about defenses?" Mergim asked. "Does the Hyperion have defenses against a Reaper attack?"

"It's a fuel canister with stasis pods, Mr. Kodheli. Your best hope is that you don't encounter any Reapers. That is surely a battle you could not win."

"And what if we encounter hostile life in the new galaxy?" Mergim said.

"We have prepared you for that. The Tempest has an armory, and 7% of all our recruits, including Colonel Ryder here, have military or police training. The Tempest itself is equipped with an Akkandra Cannon and eight Nakemura missiles."

Eight Nakemura missiles which could be blowing up Reaper troops instead.

It was all so much to take in, a bombardment.

"Now, are there any other questions?" Udina asked.

The silence was thick as pea soup. Alec wondered if the others felt like him.

Alec wanted to say something, formulate some objection, but he could not find any logical counter.

At least he had two weeks to find the words.

"Ms. Garson, would you like to add anything?"

She shook her head.

"Very well, you may all retire to your quarters. Though remember, this is a top secret operation. Divulging it to the outside world is an act of high treason, punishable by death according to Council Law. Tomorrow we will have another lecture for you, this one headed by Dr. Suvi Anwar. The schedules have been e-mailed to all of you."

The others rose, then did Alec. Perhaps Alec was taking this hardest because he had been fighting the Reapers himself, his whole family had. It was one thing to watch the war, but to fight it with one's own hands, and then abandon it...

He would have all night to stew over this, maybe he would be able to formulate his thoughts better then.

As he exited into the hall, he noticed Stephanie was waiting for him.

"Well, bless my heart! Andromeda! Mr. Ryder this must be even more exciting for you than the Grissom expedition!"

They both got to walking.

"Exciting is the wrong word. This sounds like madness."

There was silence. She sighed. Then there was more silence. Even she realized how stupid she had sounded. Then she spoke:

"Oh, I know, dear! I'm just trying to stay positive. Things are terrible in the galaxy right now. My old home is a wasteland. Maybe we should see this as an opportunity."

"Not a lot of people are going to like the idea of being ripped from their families and sent across dark space."

"Well...that's true. I've just been on my own for so long I-"

"I wasn't speaking for myself. My children are on the roster."

In some ways, that made it sound worse.

The darker question was, what would happen if they refused? Alec was never allowed to refuse an order in the military, and while this might not have technically been a military operation-

"Well I get the impression that sour little man Mergim doesn't have a family of his own, and your kids are already coming along, so maybe they've got everything worked out."

_'everything worked out'_ This old woman could not come to terms with the gravity of the situation. They were talking about sending people to another galaxy, with a population the size of a village. No one had even entertained that idea since the founding of the Citadel Council, and now they had thrown together a hap-hazard plan in the middle of a war.

What a remarkable life he had led; first the Grissom Expedition, then the Reaper War, now this.

Alec noticed they were back in a familiar hallway.

"Well there are my quarters, dear. I supposed I'll be seeing you tomorrow!"

Alec gave a half-hearted wave as they parted ways, and proceeded to his own door. He was safe from the Reapers out here, but almost felt like the Council was a greater danger to him now.

He entered his room. Fresh and luxurious, yet a prison in its own way.

He plopped down on the mattress, and raked his hands across his face.

The Council was spending trillions of credits on a retreat and he, an N7, was supposed to go along with it. And it felt almost as terrible he could not tell his children, even as they were on the roster.

And the question came back to him: what if they refused?

He was not ready to think about this now. He had to take his mind off it and re-engage it from a different angle.

He walked over to his computer, and entered the extranet. He read the headlines:

**Cerberus Hideout Raided in Ural Mountains: 24 arrested, 14 dead**

**Sev Kwutse, Galaxy's Richest Volus, Killed in Reaper Attack**

**Debate On Conscription Heats Up In Human Society**


	7. Chapter 7

"So the end result was device able to see with five times the fidelity of the Arihastra Space Telescope on Thessia. Quite a feat on a private budget, even for a billionaire. Then Garson forked over another giant wad of cash, paying her crew to comb over the Andromeda Galaxy for the rest of the year. We developed crude, but well-researched and intricate algorithms to predict the chance of habitability of each planet. Those with a probability of above 5% were deemed 'Golden Worlds.' Our long search identified 7 potentially habitable planets, and one particularly juicy region of the galaxy. We've named it the Heleus Cluster. Our last four candidates for colonization were found there."

She switched to the next slide.

**Habitat 7: 70.1%**

**Habitat 6: 12.0%**

**Habitat 5: 36.5%**

**Habitat 4: 34.5%**

"Habitat 7 is the most promising among them. Your projected course will put you in its orbit. But all four planets will be within your reach. Like I said, a juicy region of the galaxy."

"What kind of climate are we expecting on Habitat 7?" Stringberg asked.

"Humid. Lush. A bit warmer than Earth. Very comfortable."

It sounded too good to be true.

"How can you know?" Alec asked cynically.

"We can't, for sure. But distance from the star, colors on the planet's surface, apparent age and composition of the star it's orbiting, all provide key indicators. Nearby planets, and satellites can even tell us something about its habitability as well. Habitat 7's moons, for instance, will provide great protection from asteroids."

She switched to the next slide. The pictures of Habitat 7 were grainy, like an image on a 20th century videogaming device, but it seemed to show swirling clouds and oceans. It looked very humid, more so than Earth.

"If our calculations are correct, the surface temperature of Habitat 7 should be a comfortable twenty-six degrees Celsius."

"You can really be that precise?" Alec asked.

"No, Mr. Ryder, but we can take an educated guess."

"And gravity?" Stringberg asked.

"We're predicting a comfortable 1.15 Gs."

"What kind of terraforming equipment will be available to us?" Mergim asked.


	8. Chapter 8

**Battle Continues to Rage in Nos Lethos, Tens of Thousands Feared Dead**

**SSV Tripoli, SSV New York, SSV Mansa Musa Destroyed Over Tyr**

That was a sobering reminder of what he had left. Three ships, thousands of men, gone just like that. Knowing the Reapers, Alec knew the battle did not last more than a couple minutes.

Maybe he should be more grateful to be tucked away from that danger, even with the mad machinations of the Council.

He decided to scroll down further for the other headlines.

**'Wild Richard's Burritos and Burgers' Offers Free Meals to Refugees on Citadel**

**Turian Forces Retreat From City of Pettop, Citing 'Staggering Losses'**

**'The First Bird I've Met' Becomes Highest Grossing Film of Galactic Year, Despite Controvery**

**Historic War Memorial Destroyed on Palaven**

The galaxy was not in good shape, that was for sure. Udina's powerful argument from the first lecture rung in his head:

'You can only do so much staying here and fighting. But if you succeed in Andromeda, you restart civilization.'

The idea of surviving a journey to Andromeda seemed preposterous, but was it any more so than beating the Reapers? Both were hinged on radical, untested machines which stretched technology to its apex: the Hyperion and the Crucible.

He scrolled back up to the article on Tyr, thinking about all the good people he had left behind there. Alec did not know anyone stationed aboard those vessels, but if the Reapers had destroyed those ships, Alec could guess they were carving the way for a ground assault. Was it anywhere near where he had been stationed? He clicked the link.

**Alliance reports indicate the SSV Tripoli, SSV New York, and SSV Mansa Musa have been destroyed in orbit above the planet of Tyr. With zero known survivors, casualties between the three vessels may be as high as 6,222 deaths, according to Alliance sources.**

**Nearby tele-operated Guanghui Solutions refining and manufacturing facilities seem to have been the target of the Reaper assault. While there were no organic casualties, several billion credits of assets have been lost.**

None of his own people were killed. That was good, for him, but it was a chilling reminder of what the Reapers could destroy at whim. Over six-thousand dead, all in matter of minutes.

The Reapers could never be beaten with conventional means.

Humanity had two hopes:

The Crucible, and the Hyperion.


	9. Chapter 9

A maroon and white salarian made his way to the front of the room.

"Hello everyone, my name is Kallo Jath," raising his hand in a half wave and presenting a smile. "A pleasure to meet you all. Alec, Stephanie, Mergim, I've heard great things about you all."

He turned on the screen to present a sleek ship which looked like an Alliance frigate.

"This is the Tempest, a vessel I had the privilege of helping to design, inspired by the design of the SSV Normandy, capable of traveling thirteen lightyears a day in FTL. I will have the privilege piloting of this magnificent vessel during our stay in Andromeda."

Our 'stay' in Andromeda. Wow, Alec thought. He was talking about it like a vacation. His syrupy attitude was beginning to make Alec cynical.

"The Tempest serves as the detachable frontal beak of the Hyperion. When attached to the greater vessel, it is capable of interfacing with the systems of the stasis quarters." Alec remembered the first lecture, the Hyperion had three segments: fuel storage, stasis quarters, and the Tempest. The first supplied the fuel and static discharge collection foam necessary for the inter-galactic journey, and would detach upon arrival. The second is where they would all be 'sleeping.' "When released, the Tempest will serve as your scouting ship. Transporting the stasis quarters of the Hyperion is an arduous task, but with the Tempest, you can scout for optimal settlement sites first. When the Tempest proves not to be small and maneuverable enough, you can defer to of three other vehicles. Two Kodiak shuttles, and a state of the art landrover we call 'the Nomad.'"

The Kodiak, the 'combat cockaroach.' Alec was all too familiar with those. A lot of bad memories would follow him to Andromeda.

The salarian switched to the next slide, which was the rover, not the shuttle. It was a mighty and intimidating looking vehicle, with giant, deeply ridged wheels. It seemed very versatile, a much better design than the Mako.

"Housing four occupants and two cubic meters of storage space, the Nomad's tank should provide enough fuel to travel roughly two-thousand kilometers. Enough fuel to fill the tank two more times will be stored on the Hyperion."

Ryder remembered what Jien had told them about making their own fuel during the first lecture. Six-thousand kilometers might be more than they would need in his lifetime, but once they were in Andromeda they would have to think decades ahead in terms of conservation, just like with nearly every other resource.

He switched to the next slide, a diagram of the Nomad with an aura around it.

"The Nomad also boasts a robust shielding system, and a repellent pulse; useful if you find yourself surrounded by hostile creatures. Who knows if Habitat 7 has its own version of land-sharks."


	10. Chapter 10

**Turian Hierarchy Increases Taxes to Pay For War**

**Island of Hokkaido Declared A Zone of Reaper Occupation**

**In Historic Reversal, Earth's Impoverished Nations Struggle with Influx of Refugees**

**SSV Spartacus Destroyed In Luna Orbit**

**Reaper Assault Begins on Asari Republic of Na'atla**


	11. Chapter 11

"NaSRI will recognize your voice and obey your commands. Anyone may consult NaSRI for information, but only the Pathfinder can issue commands," the asari explained.

"What if the 'Pathfinder' wants certain information classified?"

"NaSRI will follow your commands to do so."

There was a silence.

"Are there any other questions?"

More silence.

"Great, that concludes our final lecture! Tomorrow we begin exercises! Remember to check your e-mails!"

In other words, the listening was done and the trials began. He rose.

They were nearing the big day. Boarding that ship would be more daring than any military action he had ever taken. His odds of 'death by Reaper's were likely about the same, but all the risk he was going to take was condensed into one leap of faith with the Andromeda Initiative.

It was a solemn prospect, but as a soldier he had learned to numb himself, and become mechanical in the face of danger, just keep moving towards the way point.

As he exited into the hall, Stephanie called to him.

"Alec, dear, why don't we have lunch together."

He stopped and turned. As she got closer she said quietly, "I'm having some personal turmoil and that sour little man Mergim doesn't open up to anyone."

"Alright, that sounds fine," he said.

This was the first time their lecture had been during the cafeteria lunch hours, so the first time he would go straight to lunch from a lecture. He had eaten with Stephanie once before, but that was it. He preferred the company of soldiers, but he could find anyone's company palatable.

The cafeteria was not far, so Alec saw it fitting to wait until they got their food to talk about what was bothering her. Of course, it was already a given what it was. It was not as if anyone could go to another galaxy whistling Dixie.

A synthetic assistant walked across the corridor ahead of them. It seemed like there were not a lot of organics given the size of the facility. Alec wondered if they had cleared out a large portion of the staff due to the secrecy that was taking place here.

It was in the middle of lunch hours, so the cafeteria was relatively full, but that only meant a smattering of people, most of whom he recognized from the lectures by now. Mergim, it seemed, had just finished ordering his food. They approached the lunch counter.

As usual, Alec ordered from the human section of the menu.

"Cheeseburger and fries, please."

Maybe it was growing up pre-FTL that made Alec a culinary conservative.

"The Italian wedding soup, please," his lady-friend said.

They got their respective food and Alec scoped out a table. He walked over and sat down.

"So what's on your mind?" Alec asked.

"It's this whole mad idea, Mr. Ryder. I've tried to keep an open mind but...six-hundred years in dark space, going to a planet we can't observe in more than fifty-pixels. There aren't even going to five-hundred people on board that damn ship."

That was the first he had heard Stephanie curse, it was actually rather jarring.

"I know, as a soldier its harder for me than anyone else. I've pledged to win this war or die trying. But Udina made a powerful argument. We can only do so much staying here and fighting. But if we come to Andromeda, we restart civilization."

Destiny had bestowed quite a decoration on him, on all of them. They would be the seed for billions.

"But what about the others, dear? They might not see it that way. What happens if any of us refused?"

That brought back an uncomfortable question Ryder had stashed away from his conscious mind for the last few days.

"I'm not sure, honestly. I've been afraid to ask because I'm sure they want a leader who believes in the Andromeda Initiative."

"There are more than four-hundred other people on that roster, Colonel Ryder. Surely they won't all want to come aboard."

"No but..."

This elderly lady had to dig up old ghosts.

"...I don't know."

He noticed he had not taken a single bite of his food.


	12. Chapter 12

Returning to his apartment, Alec's spirits were heavy. He did not like Stephanie rehashing his doubts. He had tried to keep his focus forward, like a soldier.

_If you succeed, you restart civilization._

Udina had made one hell of an argument. That logic was insurmountable.

As usual, he went to his computer to check the news. He had checked it this morning, but since the Reaper War had started he was in the habit of looking every few hours, if not more frequently. It only took that long for an important headline to be buried.

**Asari Dreadnought 'Blood Oath' Destroyed Over Thessia, Crashlands Off Coast of Sippis  
**

**Reaper Forces Attack, Capture New Houston, Eden Prime**

Alec felt a flash of heat and a thousand pins and needles explode in his face. Worry for his daughter flowed like a rushing river. He clicked the foreboding link.

**At 07:19, GST, Reaper forces began an attack on the city of New Houston, Eden Prime. New Houston, one of Eden Prime's four major cities, has, up to this point, been the only city on Eden Prime not to face a large-scale Reaper assault.**

**Though many were successfully evacuated, civilian casualties are estimated to be upwards of 50,000. More than one-thousand Alliance soldiers have also been confirmed dead or MIA after a brief battle. The New Houston Museum of Colonial History, and the New Houston Starport were among the culturally, historically, and economically significant sites destroyed in the fighting.**

**Alliance forces have since retreated, and the city has been declared a zone of Reaper occupation. The Alliance has no official word on whether a counter-attack will take place to reclaim the city.**

There had to be at least ten-thousand stationed at New Houston, but there was still a significant chance his dear Sara could be among the soldiers killed, or worse, left behind to mercy of the Reapers.

He immediately went to check his e-mail.

The first e-mail was from Sara, 09:53 GST, just minutes ago.

**Reapers Attacked New Houston, But I'm Okay**

He was euphoric. His spirits felt lighter than air.

But at that moment, he knew he could not stay in this galaxy. His last dregs of doubt were gone.

He would go to Andromeda, and his children would come with him.


	13. Chapter 13

******mining, basic robotics******

****shuttle repair, telecommunications, piloting****

**metallurgy  
**

**farming, basic robotics**

******construction  
******

Ryder scrolled through the roster, focusing mostly on talents, in preparation for the next day's exercise.

There were plenty of farmers, plenty of construction workers, and plenty of miners. What he seemed to find an uncomfortable scarcity of was doctors. He had only spotted a few doctors and he was half way down the list. In the 22nd century comfort, a ratio of one doctor for one-hundred patients was generous, but their journey ahead would be fraught with dangers, not to mention they would have to train proteges for the next generation.

He noticed something else disquieting: As Udina had said, about 7% of the Initiative had military or police training, but it seemed humans were disproportionately represented. The aliens would not like that, especially on top of the fact that leader and his or her second and third successor would all be humans.

**tree-falling, basic robotics, carpentry**

**tailoring, electrical engineering, custodial**

**omnitool repair, omnitool programming, telecommunications**

**botany, farming**

It was only a few more days until they would set out for Andromeda, although Garson had been fuzzy about the details. There might be something dark hiding behind that secrecy, though he understood the necessity of keeping the information in a small pool for as long as possible; The Reapers had ears everywhere, and even Cerberus might concoct some crazy reason to sabotage the Andromeda Initiative. But the question still lingered: what would happen to those who refused?

Whatever it was, he would do his damnedest to ensure his children were not among them.


	14. Chapter 14

It was the most significant day of his existence, and that was in an already remarkable life. His children did not realize it, but the same was true for them. This was the last time he would walk these slick, industrial halls, and the last time day he would be in the Milky Way galaxy.

Life in Andromeda would be different. He would face the struggles of his ancestors, before the utopian 22nd century, and before the surreal Reaper War. It would be a life of hard work, of survival, where their primary concern was getting a healthy amount of meat on their bones. But that was not what he feared, he took a strange pride in the idea of such a struggle: his real fear was that they would never make it, or that the Golden Worlds would turn out to be a farse.

He exited the installation into the hot, Illium air. All of his instructors, one individual he had never seen before, and Councilor Udina were at the shuttle.

"Colonel Ryder, I'm glad you're here to join us. It seems we can finally depart."

"Where's Stephanie?"

He was also surprised Garson was not there to show them out.

"She was caught leaking sensitize information about the project. Her treachery makes her unsuitable for the Andromeda Initiative."

The words hit hard. He knew she had doubts, but he never expected the old woman to...

And would she be...

But his petty discomfort could not make him waver.

"Now..." Udina said, putting his arms behind his back and pacing. "We originally intended to send all of you directly to Ossof station, the docking point of the Hyperion, but the Reapers destroyed the closest refueling station." It was a disturbing reminder how close the enemy still was. "Instead, you will meet the other guests in Nos Astra, at the Garson Dynamics starport."

'The other guests' included children. What had they been told?

"Before you depart, I must tell all of you: do not divulge any information about this project yourself, even to your fellow voyagers. They will learn their reason for being summoned when the time is right, not a moment sooner. You hold in your hands perhaps the most sensitive secret in all of galactic history."

The Councilor stopped pacing.

"I bid you all well. It's not every day I get impart my best wishes on voyagers to a neighboring galaxy."

And with that, Udina began walking back into the facility.

It was the man who looked like a pilot who spoke. "Alright, let's do this."

He entered the cockpit and opened the shuttle doors.

They entered their escort to the new world, filled with clean air and comfortable seats.

Ryder found himself across from Dr. Anwar, his first instructor.

"Been anticipating this day for a couple of years now," she said. "Used to think Garson was a right nut."

"You scared?" Alec asked.

"Should be. But all I can feel is wonder."

Ryder was not so irrationally optimistic. His gut was tight and tense. But he kept his focus on the waypoint, like a soldier.


End file.
